Dolphins fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for landing Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland confirmed this week what everyone already knew about the Dolphins — that they would “evaluate what’s out there … in free agency and the draft” at quarterback to compete with Chad Henne next season.

Ireland has been in Mobile checking out a half dozen quarterback prospects for April’s draft. And the draft may be Ireland’s best shot at landing a good quarterback, because the Dolphins will have a tough time landing the top three veterans that may potentially be available — Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb and Kyle Orton — based on conversations with several league sources this week at the Senior Bowl.

Palmer, 31, wants out of Cincinnati, but owner Mike Browntold him bluntly this week, “no.” The Bengals refused to cave to Chad Ochocinco’s trade demands in 2008, and there’s little reason to think he won’t do the same to Palmer.

Orton, who threw 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions last year but lost his job at the end of the season for rookie Tim Tebow, is reportedly on the trade block for a second-round pick. But league sources remain skeptical that new Broncos football bosses John Elway and John Fox will simply hand over the franchise to Tebow next year, and that Orton, who has one year left on his contract, may be kept as much-needed insurance.

Even if the Broncos do trade Orton — he is due $6.879 million next year, which is definitely expensive for a backup — the Dolphins might not have the ammo. They already gave this year’s second-round pick to Denver in last year’s Brandon Marshall trade, and would have to make several maneuvers to put themselves in a position to acquire Orton for that asking price.

Kolb, the Eagles’ fourth-year quarterback who lost his job to Michael Vick this year, remains the most intriguing option. He is entering the last year of his contract, and the Eagles, though they place a high value on quarterback depth (especially considering Vick’s history), may be willing to part with Kolb for the right price, given that his trade value may never be higher and he could walk away scot-free after 2011.

The right price, though will be very high. It will definitely include a first-round pick, and perhaps also a third (several league sources believe Houston absolutely stole Matt Schaub from the Falcons in 2007 for two second-round picks). And it is impossible to imagine the Dolphins, who need the draft picks to improve their offense in several different areas, mortgaging their entire 2011 draft on Kolb, who definitely has a lot of talent but also remains a bit unproven.

That would leave Vince Young (once he is released), Donovan McNabb (if he is released) and perhaps Chad Pennington and Jon Kitna as the Dolphins’ best options for a veteran quarterback.

Of course, all of this is completely moot until a new collective bargaining agreement is signed. After March 3, no players will be allowed to switch teams, and if a new deal is not signed by the NFL Draft in late April, teams will not be allowed to swap players on draft day, only picks.